Kill the Cliché Date: 4 Ideas to Try

By Susie Francis, Copy Cutie

Going on a first date can often be a little awkward. It’s the kind of social event where you put too much thought and effort into your outfit choices and look as though you’re trying too hard, while forgetting the clothes you’d normally wear on a day-to-day basis. Secondly, you choose to go to an intimate and romantic restaurant or bar where you then proceed to have even more awkward conversations – and try not to slurp the soup or put your elbows on the table.

Everyone can admit to having a date that’s a complete disaster, but maybe it’s this type of cliché date that really ruins all the fun! If the person you’re going on a date with is a complete stranger, why not do something unique and interesting that will help to strike up conversation, preventing either of you from feeling nervous or uncomfortable?

Here are some spontaneous date suggestions to consider. It’s essential that you consider the person’s personality and interests as well!

credit: TheeErin (flickr)1. An exhibition or museum.  Wandering around an interesting exhibition or museum may spark debate between you both, and there’s less pressure to dress up and choose the right kind of venue to set the tone.

2. Something outdoorsy.  Before trying this option you may want to double- and triple-check that your date is up for this sort of thing, as the date could go from bad to worse if they can’t handle the cold, can’t ride a bike, or don’t own a pair of Wellington boots.  However, if you find that they do enjoy the outdoors you can take in the beautiful surroundings and make the most of a peaceful atmosphere where you’ll be able to get to know each other.

3. A comedy show.  Rather than trying to think of your own jokes to woo the woman of your dreams, why not consider a trip to your nearest comedy club? A sense of humor is one of the top personality traits that people look for, so show your date that you are willing to have a laugh with them. Although you might want to make sure the comedian is actually funny first!

4. Try a creative dating app.
Urban Daddy is the perfect app if you’re looking to find an ideal location for your first date. The site has many versatile options and gives you an insight into dining and other activities within a certain area. Great if you don’t know where to start with your first date! Use the site to hunt down the best places to go within your local area.
Area Vibes is also an ideal site for getting to know your surrounding area and will help you to discover any new hot spots for a potential date night, while ensuring that you are cool, calm and collected.

Got any creative date ideas? Share with a comment below!

Susie Francis is a writer trying to make it as a freelancer – she loves to write about relationships, dating and travel but her writing skills are widespread. You can find more of Susie's work all over the dating blogosphere. Follow her on twitter @susiefrancisw.

10 Things I Learned About Relationships While Driving a Taxi

By Kevin Murray, Suave Scribe

credit: courtesy Kevin MurrayBefore I worked for eFlirt Expert, I spent my summers doing something completely different: I drove a taxi for vacationers on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. When you drive a taxi you interact with every possible type of personality out there, ranging from 12 drunk guys on a bachelor party to driving Caroline Kennedy to the airport – the possibilities are endless. The coolest thing about it is how open people are and the amount of personal info they’ll discuss. Little did most of these people know, their cab driver had a master’s degree in communications with a concentration on romantic relationships –  driving a cab is heaven to someone who likes to analyze people. Here are some observations I’ve come away with while behind the taxi wheel for two summers:

1. Singles on their last night are more likely to have one-night stands.  (I’ve had my own personal research with this outside the cab, too.) Singles on their last night of vacation can be wild – it’s like they lose all their inhibitions and just want to make one final memory. If you meet someone you’re interested in at a bar and they tell you it’s their last night, you’re probably gonna get lucky.

2. Copious amounts of alcohol fuel plenty of nothing fights.  I’ve been witness to some serious nothing fights in my cab. You know, those fights that start just as “What’s wrong babe?” and turn into WWIII? Of course, most of these fights happened late night when couples are beep-faced – try a few glasses of water to sober up before leaving the bar!

3. Couples married for over 10 years have no problem telling you never to get married right in front of each other.  Usually when I’d tell married couples that I was single, they would both look at me right in the eyes via my rearview mirror and say, “Never get married.” Sometimes they would say it jokingly, other times not. Hey, at least they’re honest.

4. Getting a call to pick up a bachelorette party is the greatest excitement a single taxi driver can hear. Driving a taxi isn’t a dream job – but it can become a dream job when you get to pick up 15 girls headed out for a bachelorette party. Nothing more entertaining than a dozen-plus drunk women motivated to have a great time while speaking with no filter. The word “awesome” doesn’t even do it justice.

5. Weddings bring out many emotions in single women.  The Vineyard is a hotbed for weddings (the island averages 25-35 weddings on Saturdays and Sundays in September and early October) – so I had an abundance of wedding parties in my cab. You could sense happiness, excitement and anxiety. From the conversations I had, you could tell wedding days make them think about where they’re at in their lives. Needless to say, I heard a few five-year plans. 

6. Vacation for parents with little kids is stressful beyond belief.  You’ve never seen a more stressful face than on a mom or dad trying to contain three little kids for agetaway weekend. I’d often get out and help by holding babies and carriages when I could. Can’t tell you how many times they’d pay me while shaking their head saying, “You want to take them?” Love to, but I need room for my bachelorette parties.

7. Drunk chicks love touching your…radio.  Doesn’t matter if they’re single or with boyfriend – drunk women love playing with your radio. I’ve had women get up while I’m driving and sit in my passenger seat while simultaneously cranking the volume as high as it can go. Needless to say, the cuter they were, the more I let them get away with (don’t judge, when you drive a cab you can make your own rules).

8. Cougars away from husbands have really dirty minds.  Older married women on a girls’ weekend away can be bad – real bad. I never knew women talked this dirty until I drove a taxi. Just use your imagination.

9. Single or married men always ask where’s the best bar to see women.  Guys are pigs alone. Get a group of them buzzed on an island for the weekend and they turn into wild boars. We can’t help it, it’s in our nature to act like sex-starved animals – especially when we’re in large packs

10. A lot of couples I drove had success with online dating.  Passengers in my cab would often interview me. When I told them I studied online dating, I was happy to hear a lot of them met each other on an online dating website. It was clear online dating works – many of my passengers were proof!

Have any taxicab confessions you’d like to share? Add a comment below.

Bro Basics: The Good and Bad of a Big Dating Ego

By Kevin Murray, Suave Scribe

In the typical courtship process, the male is often the aggressor. If the guy doesn’t make the first move, the wooing process often stalls. But making that first move can be tough, not to mention that the longer you stay single the more wingmen you lose along the way: your pals get into relationships, mistake babies are had (I’ve seen my friends go through this), wedding bells ring, and before you know it you’re standing there like you’re playing a game of musical chairs with nowhere to sit. Though your single buddies leave you to carry the bachelor torch on your own, there are easy ways to navigate the dating sphere solo. Here’s an eFlirt Expert series brought to you by the first Suave Scribe on figuring out the online dating space on your own.

credit: Han Shot First (flickr)Everyone’s ego gets filled in different ways. In my opinion, ego is filled from confidence, success and satisfaction. When you have all three in motion, it creates an aura of Teflon – no matter what, you’re so good you can do no wrong. A healthy ego can be very effective in many aspects of life, including your love live. However, a huge ego can also be a detriment. Sometimes when you feel invincible, you’re overconfident that you can have anything you want. Failure to monitor an out-of-control ego can make you take things for granted. So let’s take a look at the good and the bad of a having a big male ego:

Good Ego. You know what you want and you have no problem going for it. Being assertive and taking control can be a very sexy trait – women love confident men. Confidence makes you hold your head high and exclude positive body language. That positive body language makes people feel comfortable around you and believe in you. When you walk in a room woman look at you and wonder, “Oh, who’s that?!”

Bad Ego.  You miss the minor details of what she’s saying because you’re so full of yourself that you believe you can just scan over whatever you missed. When you do open your mouth, most of it’s crap. The reason it’s crap is because you constantly feel the pressure to feed this ego and spout off things you believe show you’re “the man.” Too much ego means cocky. Women can’t stand men who are full of themselves and have to project an “I’m awesome” image everywhere they go.

An ego can be difficult to control for guys who’ve had a lot of success with woman with it. Sometimes some humble pie (women rejecting you) will keep you on the straight and narrow. If you can find a happy medium between the good and the bad ego, you should have a successful love life – letting the ego pendulum swing too far in one direction could spell disaster.

Would you date someone with a big ego? Comment away below!

5 Tips for Memorial Day Dating

By Dee Rene, Copy Cutie

credit: Natasha Ruz (flickr)And just like that it’s time for summer! Memorial Day Weekend is here and it’s a great time to get back out there and spark a summer romance. Maybe you’re in a long-term relationship or still testing the waters. Either way, use the dating tips below to make the most of Memorial Day weekend:

1. Enjoy the Weather.  Hopefully this Memorial Day is full of sunshine for you. If so, take advantage of great weather and go out to a free concert in the park, a picnic or even climb a nature trail. (Take a look at these great date ideas for spring/summer to get you started.) 

2. Group Dates Galore.  A holiday weekend is a great time for low-pressure group dates. You all can attend a backyard BBQ or maybe get a group together for putt-putt golf. In theory, more of your friends may be around and available to get together. This gives you an opportunity to vet your new romance and see how well he or she blends with your circle of friends.

3. Balance.  A long weekend will put many demands on your time and attention. Do you attend the graduation dinner or the baby shower? Do you skip movies with friends for a romantic movie date instead? Find some balance this weekend so that you are able to enjoy friends and romance without hurting anyone’s feelings!

4. Travel.  Nothing teaches you more about a person than traveling with them – especially if something goes wrong. Watch how your partner handles stress or a new environment. Pack up and head out of town for the weekend even if you aren’t in a relationship. New environments mean new opportunities for love.

5. Take a Risk.  If you are still casually dating, take a risk this weekend! Go on the blind date that your friend has suggested for the past few months. Look up speed dating. Finally ride the big roller coaster at the park. Do something this weekend you’ve never done before. You never know who you’ll meet!

Do you have any tips,or advice for dating over the long holiday weekend? Comment below!

From Engaging Tweets to an eHarmony Engagement

By Laurie Davis, Founder

credit: VMIX Media (FlicOne of my favorite things to do is give singles advice in 140 characters. It’s been a constant for me over the years, so it's close to my heart.

So while I often talk about our clients’ relationships — or recently, readers who met their right click using the advice in my book — today’s success story is from … well … one of you. He’s a Twitter follower, a blog reader and a newsletter subscriber who may have never invested dollars in our advice, but did invest a lot of time and energy into taking our words on the virtual page to heart.

Hi Laurie,

This may seem weird, since I never was a client of yours, but I felt like I needed to share this story with you. About 3 years ago, my fiance decided she no longer wanted to get married. (That's the saddest part of this story, but it needed to set-up the rest.)

Working in Boston, I ended up running into a wonderful fashion consultant named Emmi Sorokin. I worked with her a bit to help get my mojo back. Then I went to her website launch party and met really great guy by the name of Thomas Edwards (I think you know him...). Between their blogs & Twitter posts, I was "knocking the rust off" and getting back into the dating scene.

Suddenly this "eFlirtExpert" showed up in my Twitter feed, and she had equally awesome posts. In fact, I even won a free dating profile makeover, but never used it.

Let's fast forward to December of 2012: I take advantage of eHarmony's Free Weekend. Connect with a girl, exchange messages, and go on a date a week later. It wasn't love at first sight, but I knew it was something special.

So special, that I'm excited to say I'm proposing tomorrow, and I'm 100% sure she'll say yes.

Like I said, I was never a client, but your advice is priceless - I can only imagine how great your services are!

Thank you for all the great stuff, and I'll always recommend you to my friends!

His email gave me chills and thrills … and I hope it gives you still-singles hope, too. Of course, she said YES! Congrats to him and his fiancé! We could not be more thrilled for their lifetime of love to come. 

Ironically, eHarmony’s Free Communication Weekend is going on again now. If you're still single, what are you waiting for? Three days may not seem like much, but it could be the chance to meet your One, too.